Stawell and Ballarat police officers have told of the moment they arrived at a crash in Navarre last year, where it was clear three grandmothers had already died. Three officers gave evidence in the County Court trial of Stawell woman Lorraine Nicholson. The woman in her 60s is accused of culpable driving causing death, after her Jeep collided with a Kia carrying Elaine Middleton, 75, Claudia Jackson, 72, Tess Ely, 74 and Dianne Barr, 64, at the intersection of the Stawell-Avoca Road and the Ararat-St Arnaud Road on May 5 last year. The four women, who were returning to the Western District after attending a line-dancing competition in St Arnaud, died at the scene. READ MORE Stawell police First Constable Jodee Nuske told the court on Thursday he was one of the first officers at the collision scene. When he arrived at 6.30pm, the police officer said three female occupants of the Kia were already dead, with the driver of the car "unconscious with difficulty breathing" and head injuries. She later died at the scene. Nicholson was in a nearby property, and underwent a breath test which was negative for alcohol. She was arrested and taken to Stawell hospital for observation. Northern Grampians Highway Patrol's Leading Senior Constable Rodney Rickard said both vehicles at the scene had "major damage" following the collision. When the officer did an analysis of the scene, he noted the stop sign which would have faced Nicholson as she approached the cross road "to be in good condition ... the stop line was also in good condition". Ballarat Highway Patrol's Sergeant Tony Creanor, who took control of the crash scene just after 7pm, said all glass was missing from the passenger side of the Kia after impact. The car's "front widescreen resting on the bonnet after being ejected from its mountings". The trial continues.

First police on the scene said Navarre fatal cars both had 'major damage'

Stawell and Ballarat police officers have told of the moment they arrived at a crash in Navarre last year, where it was clear three grandmothers had already died.

Three officers gave evidence in the County Court trial of Stawell woman Lorraine Nicholson.

The woman in her 60s is accused of culpable driving causing death, after her Jeep collided with a Kia carrying Elaine Middleton, 75, Claudia Jackson, 72, Tess Ely, 74 and Dianne Barr, 64, at the intersection of the Stawell-Avoca Road and the Ararat-St Arnaud Road on May 5 last year.

The four women, who were returning to the Western District after attending a line-dancing competition in St Arnaud, died at the scene.

Stawell police First Constable Jodee Nuske told the court on Thursday he was one of the first officers at the collision scene.

When he arrived at 6.30pm, the police officer said three female occupants of the Kia were already dead, with the driver of the car "unconscious with difficulty breathing" and head injuries. She later died at the scene.

Nicholson was in a nearby property, and underwent a breath test which was negative for alcohol. She was arrested and taken to Stawell hospital for observation.

Northern Grampians Highway Patrol's Leading Senior Constable Rodney Rickard said both vehicles at the scene had "major damage" following the collision.

When the officer did an analysis of the scene, he noted the stop sign which would have faced Nicholson as she approached the cross road "to be in good condition ... the stop line was also in good condition".

Ballarat Highway Patrol's Sergeant Tony Creanor, who took control of the crash scene just after 7pm, said all glass was missing from the passenger side of the Kia after impact. The car's "front widescreen resting on the bonnet after being ejected from its mountings".